Enhancing the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention: Preparing for the 2nd Intersessional Process

Diplomatic Building Blocks

A training course in support of the
2008 BTWC Meetings of Experts and States Parties

Date: 18–19 March 2008
Location: Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, La Voie-Creuse 16, 1202 Geneva, Room 342 (3rd floor)

Tuesday, 18 March

09:00-09:30 Registration

OPENING
09:30-09:45 Welcome

Ms Anita Robert-Landecy, Programme Manager, Executive Education, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies

Goals of the Diplomatic Training Course

Dr Jean Pascal Zanders, Director, BioWeapons Prevention Project

GENERAL INTRODUCTION
09:45-10:15 The BTWC: its origins, its provisions and State Party commitments

Dr Jean Pascal Zanders, Director, BioWeapons Prevention Project

10:15-10:45 The efforts to strengthen the BTWC since 1975

Mr Richard Guthrie, CBW Events

11:45-11:15 Outcomes of the 6th Review Conference

Mr Richard Lennane, Head, BWC Implementation Support Unit

11:15-11:45 Coffee break

11:45-12:15 The 2008 Agenda: Expectations from the Chair

Ambassador Georgi Avramchev, Permanent Representative of the FYR of Macedonia to the United Nations, Chair of the 2008 BTWC Meetings of Experts and State Parties and coordinator for the BTWC universalisation efforts

12:15-12:45 Biosecurity/biosafety and codes of conduct discussed during the First Intersessional Process

Dr Piers Millett, BWC Implementation Support Unit

12:45-13:30 General discussion

13:00-14:00 Lunch

KEEPING GERMS WHERE THEY BELONG: BIOSECURITY AND BIOSAFETY
14:00-14:45 Policy and security objectives of biosecurity and biosafety (Présentation en Français)

Mr Marc Finaud, Director of Short Courses, Geneva Centre for Security Policy

14:45-15:30 Implementing biosecurity and biosafety measures: who, what, why and how?

Dr Ralf Trapp, BWPP Legal Coordinator

15:30-16:00 Coffee break

16:00-17:15 National experience with the implementation of biosecurity and biosafety measures (Plenary debate)
17:15-17:30 Conclusions of the first day

Wednesday, 19 March

PREVENTING THE MISUSE OF BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY: BEYOND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STATE
09:30-10:15 Ethics in the life sciences as a building block in biological disarmament and non-proliferation

Ms Frida Kuhlau, Centre for Bioethics, Uppsala University, Sweden

10:15-11:00 Scientists’ and professionals’ stake in the prevention of the malicious use of biology and biotechnology

Mr James Revill, Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford

11:00-11:30 Codes of conduct: a scientist’s and biosafety professional’s perspective on their utility

Dr Ursula Jenal, Jenal & Partners Biosafety Consulting, Switzerland, and member of the European BioSafety Association

11:30-12:00 Coffee break

12:00-13:00 National experience with codes of conduct, education and awareness-raising to prevent misuse of science and technology. (Plenary debate)

13:00-14:00 Lunch

RECURRING THEMES REGARDING THE STRENGTHENING OF THE BTWC
14:00-14:45 Measures to implement the BTWC

Dr Jean Pascal Zanders, Director, BioWeapons Prevention Project

14:45-15:30 National collection of data in preparation of the BTWC confidence-building measures

Mr Nicolas Isla, Hamburg Research Group for Biological Arms Control

15:30-16:00 Coffee break

16:00-16:45 Universalization: State Parties’ role in shoring up the norm against biological weapons

Ms Kathryn McLaughlin, BioWeapons Prevention Project

16:45-17:00 Conclusions of the second day